BONGANI MALUNGA
Former Botswana under 23 coach Daniel ‘Chicco’ Nare took a major risk in April by assuming the reins at relegation threatened Security Systems. Nare was fresh from a controversial exit from Orapa United were he was the caretaker coach before being given the assistant coach role after the arrival of Bongani Mafu.
Nare asked to be released from his contract with the club and risked throwing away two opportunities to further his coaching badges, he had a CAF course and a UEFA course in Germany lined up as one of the offers that enticed him to accept demotion to the assistant coach position.
The experienced coach risked it all by leaving Orapa and joining up with then 14th placed Security Systems who looked doomed for relegation. Nare has never been relegated in his career and had taken a move which risked tarnishing his survival record in the league.
Nare took officialy began his tenure as the Systems coach against Gilport Lions and the club won 2-0 to boost their chances of avoiding relegation. Nare’s charges followed up the Gilport victory with a 1-1 draw against Police XI before recording their best result in the league run-in with a 1-0 win against title chasing league leaders Township Rollers at the Lobatse Sports Complex.
The shock win had threatened to derail Rollers’ attempt to retain their league title, the result had also given Jwaneng Galaxy a glimmer of hope in their attempt to dethrone Rollers.
A 0-0 draw against Black Forest followed as Nare was unbeaten in his first four games in charge of Systems. Two consecutive defeats against BDF XI and Jwaneng Galaxy followed before they ended the league season on a high with a 1-0 win over Orapa United. In seven games, Nare recorded three wins, two defeats and two draws as well as four clean sheets, the impressive run was enough to preserve the club’s league status, a reality which had seemed unimaginable before his arrival.